If there’s one thing we love more than dogs.. it’s supporting the local non-profits who help to care and find homes for our furry friends in need! So we got to thinking.. how can we use our #boxcarbowows features and contests to give back to these local charities? And that’s where the idea for a…
A look back at 2016…
What a year! As we look back on 2016, we can’t help but smile. With your support, we were able to grow, give back to our community and continue to change and improve our Raleigh bar and arcade. It’s been quite a ride, so we thought we’d recap some of our favorite moments and highlights from 2016:
You helped us support the community.
Still topping the list of our favorite things is our weekly “Drink For A Cause” event, where we donate 15% of our sales to a select local charity every week. With your help and support, we were able to EXCEED our yearly donation goal of $25K, capping the year off with a staggering total of $26,422 in donations. We held a Food Drive in the fall, a raffle supporting the Salvation Army of Wake County during our first annual Holiday Party and we collected a record amount of toys for this year’s Toys-For-Tots Drive. We plan to continue finding new and exciting ways to support the Raleigh community in 2017, so be sure to let us know which local charities you believe are in need of support in the new year!
We got a new look.
Our new sign wasn’t the only update we made this year… we started 2016 off with a new website, one that allows us to stream a live draft menu, sell our Boxcar swag and gift cards, better showcase weekly and pop-up tournaments, upcoming events, current game lineups and so much more. You’re already here – so be sure to take a look around!
This was the year of tournaments.
We started out 2016 with weekly Skee Ball tournaments, but ended the year with the addition of weekly air hockey tournaments, monthly Virtual Pinball Tournaments and pop-up tournaments. From Mario Kart to Super Smash Brothers and beyond, we’ve had a blast watching you duke it out for the top spot and score some sweet prizes along the way. Visit our Tournaments page to see what we’ve got lined up for 2017!
The Barenaked Ladies said what?
Remember that time that The Barenaked Ladies gave us a shout-out on stage, then sang a little jingle about Boxcar Bar + Arcade during their concert at the Red Hat Amphitheater?
We showed Alex Butler how it’s done…
Then there was that time we matched up against Alex Butler on the air hockey tables, during the filming of a CBS Morning segment on Boxcar Bar + Arcade in Raleigh.
and packed our house with talent for Hopscotch.
We hosted our first official Hopscotch Music Festival events in Raleigh, with Indy Rock and Hip Hop Day Parties on the Boxcar patio. The combination of raw talent, a great crowd and abundant sunshine made for an all-around good vibe, all weekend long.
Live music was born.
Speaking of talented musicians, we were introduced to our favorite one-man cover band in early 2016, and we’ve been enjoying his tunes ever since. Catch Andy Lyle Hall on our patio most weekend afternoons – we guarantee you’ll come back for more.
You dressed to impress.
From people to pups, we had some killer Halloween costumes come through the door this year (no pun intended), with the night’s best-dressed walking away with their very own arcade cabinet. While your costumes were on point – dogs in costume will always be cuter – so we compiled a list of some of this year’s favorite #BoxcarBowows on our pinterest page, so you can check them out.
We upgraded our space…
We made some updgrades to our patio, making it a year-round, covered and heated destination – so you can catch fresh air in any weather.
AND our games.
From upgraded air hockey tables and skee ball lanes to a collection of new arcade and pinball machines – we continued to add to (and improve) our game collection throughout the year. Be sure to check out our current game lineup at our Raleigh bar and arcade for the latest!
Mario + Princess stole the show.
We’re not the only ones who went through changes in 2016… our very talented friends at Midnight Anchor worked hard to keep our token ‘Mario + Princess wall’ festive throughout the seasons. Check out more stages and phases of Mario + Princess on our Pinterest page.
We expanded!
And last – but certainly not least – we were stoked to have gotten started on our second Boxcar Bar + Arcade location, on track to open in downtown Greensboro in early 2017.
Whether you visited us for the first time in 2016 or you’ve been frequenting our Raleigh bar and arcade from the start, we wouldn’t be where we are without you, our customers. We strive to keep changing and improving, largely based on your feedback, so don’t be shy! Contact us through our website, reach out to us on social media @BoxcarRAL or let us know in person if you have any suggestions or feedback on how we can continue to be your favorite Raleigh bar and arcade for years to come.